PHYSICAL AND LITERARY, 361 



thence, and it is alfo reafonable to fup- 

 pofe, that on a found animal they operate 

 in both thefe ways. 



7. To determine the degree in which thefe 

 medicines ac5l on a found animal in either 

 ofthefe ways, oreven to which of them we 

 are to afcribe the greateft eflPedl, is difficult; 

 becaufe, we muft fuppofe, that by im- 

 pairing the nervous inflaence, the ab- 

 forption is diminifhed in mod inftances, 

 or perhaps increafed in fome inftances, 

 where the medicine is very irritating j and 

 we have found, for certain, that the nerves 

 of the extremities can fcarcely propa- 

 gate the moll violent impreffion to the; 

 other nerves, if the circulation in that 

 part is ftopped : And, therefore, we muft 

 fuppofe, that, when the nerves of the 

 abdomen are impreffed by a medicine, 

 after cutting out of the heart, the fym- 

 pathy of the other nerves with them is 

 lefs remarkable than it would be, were 

 the animal entire. So that we cannot, 

 in that way, have a perfedl idea of the 

 eflPedl of a medicine upon the nerves a- 

 lone ; and, although we knew the exa6l 



Vol. III. Z2 ejffbd 



